Southeastern not overlooking struggling Warner in rivalry game

When Southeastern and Warner play on Saturday, two teams going in two very different directions will meet at Victory Field.

Brady Fredericksen @brady_fred

LAKELAND — When Southeastern and Warner play on Saturday at Victory Field, it will be between two teams going in very different directions.

Warner limps into the game with a 1-3 record and a plethora of injuries. The Royals entered the season with high hopes, but their scoring-challenged offense has yet to find last season’s magic.

Southeastern, as healthy as it’s been all season, continues its march toward a return to the NAIA postseason. But the No. 15 Fire aren’t looking past Warner, a team that they needed three overtimes to beat last season.

As the old adage says, you can throw out the records when rivals meet.

“When I look at Warner, I don’t see anything too different from the previous three years,” Southeastern head coach Keith Barefield said. “They just haven’t put it together yet, and we really hope they wait a week to do that.”

Southeastern (3-1) has spent the past two weeks preparing thanks to an open week following their loss at No. 6 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.). The Royals were set to have the same open week, but opted to schedule a game in Virginia against Bluefield College.

They had a shot to beat the Rams, but Geness Kennedy-May’s late field goal was blocked and Bluefield went on to kick a field goal in overtime.

“Our biggest problem this year is we’ve just had so many injuries, it’s amazing. We’ve lost four of our starting five linemen,” Warner head coach Rod Shafer said. “I’ve coached long enough that you just have to play with the cards you’re given.”

The Royals' anemic offense has rolled up yards but struggles to finish drives, scoring just six touchdowns in four games. Rowdy Driggers and Donald Carruthers will not play Saturday, though tackle Cody Cox will return. But while Warner has lost experience along that line, a familiar face played well in his season debut.

Luke Hiers, a star at Lake Wales under Shafer, has stepped in and played well at guard. The former Central Florida lineman transferred to Warner prior to the season and finally got on the field last week.

“He’s looking real good,” he said. “We’re seeing shades of where he was when he was tearing people up in high school. I think to have him two (more) years is a real asset. He’s going to be a real asset down the road.”

Hiers isn’t the only newcomer to give his team a boost.

Quev Gonzalez, the transfer from the University of Kansas, has hit the ground running in three games at Southeastern. The 5-foot-11 receiver has snagged 23 passes for 385 yards and four touchdowns, filling the role vacated by the graduated Michael Wheary.

But for all that Wheary was as a deep threat — he torched Warner with seven catches for 166 yards and a pair of scores last year — Gonzalez has shown himself as a better all-around receiver.

“I think what makes our passing game better this year than last year is we were extremely dependent on Michael,” said Barefield, who is 3-0 against the Royals. “We’re not as dependent on Quev.”

With injuries and losses piling up, this season is beginning to look like 2015 for the Royals. That 2-9 season came after a surprising debut that saw the team fall just short of sharing the Sun Conference title.

Now, Shafer just hopes to right the ship before it's too late.

“We just have to finish things,” Shafer said. “If we have the opportunity, we’ll see what happens. I like these kinds of games.”

Brady Fredericksen can be reached at brady.fredericksen@theledger.com or 863-802-7553. Follow him on Twitter: @Brady_Fred.

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